Release from 22.07.2024

New defenceman for the Caps

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The spusu Vienna Capitals have signed US-American Willie Raskob. The 29-year-old has already gained some experience in Europe: Raskob played in Denmark, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where he was one of the top defencemen in the Extraliga with Vitkovice for the last two seasons.

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After four years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Raskob began his professional career in the 2017-18 season in the East Coast Hockey League. In his rookie season, he recorded 38 points (3 goals + 35 assists) in 70 ECHL games. In the 2018-19 season, Raskob made his debut in the American Hockey League for the Stockton Heat. However, he spent the majority of the season in the ECHL with the Heat's partner team at the time, the Kansas City Mavericks. With 55 points (9 goals + 46 assists) in 76 ECHL games, Raskob was his team's top-scoring defenceman and third-best scorer. With his 49 points in the regular season, Raskob was even the second-best point scorer of all defencemen in the ECHL.

Slovakia's top scoring defenceman and top performer in the Czech Republic
Raskob moved to Europe for the first time in the 2019/20 season. The defenceman joined Danish champions Rungsted Seier Capital. In his debut season, he scored 30 goals (7 goals + 23 assists) in 48 league games and added three more points in the Champions Hockey League. Raskob returned to the USA during the coronavirus pandemic. The defenceman started the 2020/21 season with ECHL club Indy Fuel. In Indianapolis, Raskob was once again the third-best scorer and highest-point defenceman with 38 goals (13 goals + 25 assists) in 66 regular season games. The defenceman also recorded three points in four playoff games, a team-high. Raskob tried his hand in Europe again in the 2021/22 season, this time with HK Nitra in the Slovakian Extraliga. The defenceman, who even scored a powerplay goal against teh Caps in a pre-season game, collected a total of 39 points (8 goals + 31 assists) in 50 regular season games. Raskob finished runner-up with Nitra, on the way to which the US-American added nine points (4 goals + 5 assists) in the playoffs. With a total of 48 goals, Raskob was the top-scoring defenceman in the entire league. Before the 2022-23 season, he moved to HC Vitkovice Ridera in the Czech Extraliga. In his first season with the Czechs, Raskob recorded 31 points (6 goals + 25 assists) in 62 league games. Last season, Raskob recorded 21 scoring points (6 goals + 15 assists) in 50 league games. The 29-year-old also contributed three assists on the way to the semi-finals of the Champions Hockey League. In both seasons, Raskob was one of the top defencemen in the Czech top flight.

Scheduled regeneration process
Raskob underwent an operation in the off-season. This was successful and the US-American is currently in the regeneration process. The sports management and the medical department of the spusu Vienna Capitals have been in close contact with the defenceman's doctors over the past few weeks. Raskob's recovery is going according to plan, and the 29-year-old will travel to Vienna for the start of training at the beginning of August and train with the team from the start.

"We are delighted that Willie has decided in favour of the spusu Vienna Capitals despite higher offers and international competition. Willie has his advantages in offence and plays with a lot of energy. He can move the puck very well and is characterised by his good character in the dressing room. We are prepared for all eventualities, but first and foremost we are confident that Willie's recovery will progress as it has so far. He has already been able to complete individual sessions on the ice," says Christian Dolezal, Sporting Director of the spusu Vienna Capitals.

Photo: CHL/Johannes Traub